Cruising With Special Needs Child At Home.. Question.

[surfjock27]

In November, my partner and I are taking our best friends on their first cruise.

They have a severely disabled 12 year old daughter at home.

Grandma will be watching her, but my friend is very iffy about leaving her for a week.

I know she can call to check from her phone, but roaming charges etc. are insane.

We also know she can buy the internet package and check in through email.

 

My question is though..

If something were to happen on land (God forbid), is there a way for Grandma to contact us?

She can email but we'd have to check our email every 30 minutes.

Is it possible to call INTO the ship?

 

Sorry if my question seems scattered, LOL..

I wasn't sure exactly what/how to ask.

 

Thanks in advance. :)

[irishnyc]

There is unfortunately no longer any way to reach someone on board - which I think is a little insane. I would have your friends call home at a designated time once or twice a day, keeping it short and sweet. It would be cheaper than roaming charges. It's $1.99/minute to call from the ship.

[surfjock27]

There is unfortunately no longer any way to reach someone on board - which I think is a little insane. I would have your friends call home at a designated time once or twice a day, keeping it short and sweet. It would be cheaper than roaming charges. It's $1.99/minute to call from the ship.

 

Wow, I find that a little insane as well.

I would have thought they'd have a way to reach to us in the case of an emergency.

 

Thanks for the response.

[stargate fan]

There is unfortunately no longer any way to reach someone on board - which I think is a little insane. I would have your friends call home at a designated time once or twice a day, keeping it short and sweet. It would be cheaper than roaming charges. It's $1.99/minute to call from the ship.

 

Where on Earth did you hear that?

 

 

In November, my partner and I are taking our best friends on their first cruise.

They have a severely disabled 12 year old daughter at home.

Grandma will be watching her, but my friend is very iffy about leaving her for a week.

I know she can call to check from her phone, but roaming charges etc. are insane.

We also know she can buy the internet package and check in through email.

 

My question is though..

If something were to happen on land (God forbid), is there a way for Grandma to contact us?

She can email but we'd have to check our email every 30 minutes.

Is it possible to call INTO the ship?

 

Sorry if my question seems scattered, LOL..

I wasn't sure exactly what/how to ask.

 

Thanks in advance. :)

 

 

From the Carnival website:

 

Shore-to-Ship Communication

 

Friends and family may call guests on board via Sea Mobile Shore-to-Ship telephone service. The rate is $9.50 per minute from the United States; additional long distance charges may apply from outside the United States.

 

1-877-CCLSHIP (1-877-225-7447) – from the U.S

1-732-335-3284 - from outside the U.S

 

The caller needs to have available the ship name and the guest's name. The charges will be applied to the caller's credit card: MasterCard; Visa; American Express; The Discover Card; Diner's Club.

 

For customer service please call:

1-866-459-9020 or 954-672-4428

e-mail: dialaship@mtnsat.com

 

Customer Service Hours:

8:30am to 5:30pm Eastern Standard Time

[riffatsea]

I understand the need to be in touch but think about the logistics . IF grandma needs the parents to actually leave the ship and come home it will NOT be easy,especially if the ship is at sea! IF grandma doesn't actually need the parents to come home then just checking e-mail seems like an easy answer to the "stay in touch" problem.

Unfortunately being away on a ship is really best for people who can leave and relax. It will be very difficult for folks who need to be involved minute to minute with someone at home.

[Elaine515]

In the case a real emergency, Grandma can call the 1-800-CARNIVAL telephone #, tell them the emergency, the ship, name and cabin # and Carnival will get the message to the passenger and will probably allow the passenger a free call or two to determine what needs to be done...

[sharecruises]

Hopefully all will be well....:) Good to leave and know the emergency number but sounds as if the main problem is worry about what is going on at home with the child /grandma etc - reassurance needed to enjoy cruise

 

some ideas - a 1.99 call for a minute or two each day

 

use the (*free) fun hub feature - you set up a "thread" for the family at the Carnival site, you post free from fun hub computers, grandm can check and post free

 

in ports - look for the internet /wi fi spots...lots of em...if you need to, most ports have little internet cafes with super cheap plans like a buck for 1/2 hour

 

in ports - cell phone should work in St Thomas - San Juan - USA ports, no charges

 

they could also contact their phone company (or yours) ? for cheapest alternative - "international plan" for a month or whatever?

 

buy a bit of internet time - look for specials on board

 

hope this helps

[nodogkisses]

I always just leave my cell phone on when cruising. I turn off all DATA so that the internet isn't working and charging me crazy fees. Texting and phone calls are still enabled. I usually call home from the cabin phone at $1.99/minute if I feel the need to check on things at home. I also have the peace of mind that if anyone needs to reach me, they can call my cell phone and I'll just pay the $2.49/minute that Cellular at Sea charges. I do text home a lot--50 cents to send a text and 5 cents to receive one. Very reasonable. Works out fine for me. By the way, I have Verizon and use and iphone.

[cyntil8ing]

If Grandma would only call in an emergency, then roaming charges be darned; leave the cell phone on. We always do. It gives both us and my parents peace of mind that they can always get hold of us. They've never had to call.

[mickide]

I always just leave my cell phone on when cruising. I turn off all DATA so that the internet isn't working and charging me crazy fees. Texting and phone calls are still enabled. I usually call home from the cabin phone at $1.99/minute if I feel the need to check on things at home. I also have the peace of mind that if anyone needs to reach me, they can call my cell phone and I'll just pay the $2.49/minute that Cellular at Sea charges. I do text home a lot--50 cents to send a text and 5 cents to receive one. Very reasonable. Works out fine for me. By the way, I have Verizon and use and iphone.

 

I do the same thing and use texting when necessary. I also have Verizon.

If Grandma doesn't text (cheapest way to communicate), she can text using email. With Verizon, its your 10 digit number @vtext.com. It comes as a text message so you don't need data. I work in emergency services and we use our cell phones for pagers and I know that most carriers have similar set-ups for email to texting.

[SadieN]

I do the same thing and use texting when necessary. I also have Verizon.

 

If Grandma doesn't text (cheapest way to communicate), she can text using email. With Verizon, its your 10 digit number @vtext.com. It comes as a text message so you don't need data. I work in emergency services and we use our cell phones for pagers and I know that most carriers have similar set-ups for email to texting.

 

Here's the info for AT&T

http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB63037&cv=820#fbid=qji7eksfUw3

[irishnyc]

Where on Earth did you hear that?

 

 

 

 

 

From the Carnival website:

 

Shore-to-Ship Communication

 

Friends and family may call guests on board via Sea Mobile Shore-to-Ship telephone service. The rate is $9.50 per minute from the United States; additional long distance charges may apply from outside the United States.

 

1-877-CCLSHIP (1-877-225-7447) – from the U.S

1-732-335-3284 - from outside the U.S

 

The caller needs to have available the ship name and the guest's name. The charges will be applied to the caller's credit card: MasterCard; Visa; American Express; The Discover Card; Diner's Club.

 

For customer service please call:

1-866-459-9020 or 954-672-4428

e-mail: dialaship@mtnsat.com

 

Customer Service Hours:

8:30am to 5:30pm Eastern Standard Time

 

 

Per Carnival, they no longer offer shore to ship as you describe above. You can now call them and they will pass a message along to the person you would like to reach, and they can then call you back.

 

Shore-to-Ship Communication

Effective 11/27/13: This service is no longer offered.

We know many of you would like an emergency contact number for family members not traveling with you. Therefore, in the event of a true emergency, loved ones may contact our call center at 1-800-227-6482 on a 24/7 basis. Our team will take down the caller's name and contact information and pass it on to our Guest Services team onboard so they can extend the guest a complimentary phone call.

 

http://www.carnival.com/core/faq.aspx?icid=CC_Footer_88#q-543530

 

[surfjock27]

Thank you so much for the replies!

 

We've talked it out and this is what we will do..

Brief 2 minute call from cabin phone to say good morning and goodnight..

And give Gram the 1-800 Carnival number in case of an emergency.

 

Blessed be. :)

[awhcruiser]

Never mind

There is unfortunately no longer any way to reach someone on board - which I think is a little insane. I would have your friends call home at a designated time once or twice a day, keeping it short and sweet. It would be cheaper than roaming charges. It's $1.99/minute to call from the ship.

Edited January 19, 2014 by awhcruiser

[Yogiandbooboo]

This past October our daughter (adult) needed to contact us while we were at sea regarding our son who has seizures, she called the main Carnival number and explained the situation. Within an hour the crew on the Legend got in touch with us and graciously allowed us to use the ships phone in the guest services office. The staff was very polite, seemed genuinely concerned and very accommodating.

[loxley]

Thank you so much for the replies!

 

We've talked it out and this is what we will do..

Brief 2 minute call from cabin phone to say good morning and goodnight..

And give Gram the 1-800 Carnival number in case of an emergency.

 

Blessed be. :)

 

I am just wondering if they have plans for if there is an emergency at home.

 

Do they have a passport? Travel insurance?

[lucigo]

I often cruise with older kids staying home. I keep my cell phone on, and turn off data. If your companions are worried about other people calling and racking up a bill, they could get a pay per use phone and just give the number to grandma. That way she can call them at any time. As the parent of a special needs child I have only left overnight long enough to have surgery, I think this would relieve their anxiety more than any other option.

Edited January 19, 2014 by lucigo

[surfjock27]

I am just wondering if they have plans for if there is an emergency at home.

 

Do they have a passport? Travel insurance?

 

Great question!

 

Yes, they have both passports and travel insurance.

As one stated above, if something did happen (God forbid), it's going to be taxing getting home, but they would.

 

Their daughter is 12 years old and other than seizures, she has had no major setbacks.

They just want to be reachable in that "chance".

[surfjock27]

I often cruise with older kids staying home. I keep my cell phone on, and turn off data. If your companions are worried about other people calling and racking up a bill, they could get a pay per use phone and just give the number to grandma. That way she can call them at any time. As the parent of a special needs child I have only left overnight long enough to have surgery, I think this would relieve their anxiety more than any other option.

 

That is an excellent idea! Like one of the monthly, non contracted phones!

I will definitely pass that along to them.

 

As I stated above, their daughter is 12 years old and this is the first time they will be away from her so their anxiety is a little high.

I try to reassure them that they are amazing parents and need to enjoy themselves, a reward for working as hard as they do with her.

 

Thanks again.